Court to consider Natchez hospital ombudsman

A federal bankruptcy court overseeing Natchez Regional Medical Center's Chapter 9 filing may decide this week whether to appoint some to oversee patient care. A hearing is scheduled Thursday in Natchez. The hospital is opposing the appointment of an ombudsman. Bankruptcy attorney Eileen Shaffer tells The Natchez Democrat that any time there is a health care-related case, the question of an ombudsman come up. "We don't think (the ombudsman) is necessary because we have enough internal controls to maintain quality of care," Shaffer said. "There is oversight by federal, state and local programs. Any time you interject a third party into a case, it creates a great amount of cost. We would rather see those dollars go to the creditors."